The Best of ComplexCon 2024: Brand Booths, Exclusive Drops, New Discoveries, and More
A recap of the best apparel, booth design, hidden gem, food, and more from ComplexCon 2024.
The first ComplexCon Las Vegas is in the books. The weekend full of exclusive drops, celebrity cameos, good eats, and musical performances was truly one to remember.
It would be tough to recap each and every incredible moment from the two-day event, but we wanted to make sure to shed light on the most memorable ones. From brand booths and collaborations to food and afterparties, this was the best of the best of ComplexCon 2024.
Best Apparel - Opium x Pelle Pelle Leather Jacket
Honorable Mentions: Better Gift Shop x AOI Industry Re-Purposed Shell Jacket, Vandy the Pink x Pokémon Denim, Happy Memories Don't Die Crystal Sweats
The impact of Playboi Carti, Ken Carson, and the whole Opium collective was on full display at this year’s ComplexCon. And while Carson saw great success with his Ed Hardy collaboration (more on that later), it was Opium who got the most "oohs" and "ahhs" alongside frequent collaborator Pelle Pelle. Using Pelle Pelle’s classic plush leather in black and white, Opium created bold pieces featuring maxed-out design details ranging from bedazzling to studs, straps, embroidery, and embossing—a perfect match for the Opium aesthete. -Nick Grant
Best Accessory - Kozaburo Phantom Ranch Upcycle Staple Cap
Honorable Mentions: Opium Fitted Hat, New Era x 40 Acres and a Mule Yankess Fitted, BB Simon x Siobhan Bell Belt
Cut-and-sew customization is nothing new, but what if instead of "sew," you stapled? This Frankensteinian creation was imagined by Japanese fashion label Kozaburo as part of its Phantom Ranch subsidiary which focuses on upcycling. A hodgepodge of old ball caps are cut and stapled together—all by hand—a process they demonstrated for showgoers at their booth. The brand even writes the labels by hand. It's no wonder why Michelle Lamy was one of the first to be seen walking around the show on Saturday donning her very own, and why Travis Scott absolutely had to have a special allotment made exclusively for his Cactus Jack showroom. -Nick Grant
Best Sneaker - Kids of Immigrants x Nike Air Max Sunder 'Sun Down'
Honorable Mention(s): Jae Tips x Saucony Matrix, Hidden x Asics Gel Venture 6 Shield, Satoshi Nakamoto x Vans
Plenty of great sneakers dropped for the first time at ComplexCon 2024. We have to give props to Jae Tips’ Saucony Matrix and Hidden x Asics Gel Venture 6 Shield. But nothing was met with the same level of excitement as Kids of Immigrants’ Air Max Sunders. The purple “Sun Down” colorway sold out in just one day. The next day, you already saw them and the orange “Sun Up” versions on the feet of event goers like Awake NY’s Angelo Baque and Complex’s own Joe La Puma. In fact, they were so well-received that fans voiced their displeasure for them being left off the Complex top 10 Sneaker of the Year list. We are highly anticipating the wider release later this year. -Mike DeStefano
Best Collaboration - Ken Carson x Ed Hardy
Honorable Mentions: Vandy the Pink x Pokémon, Cactus Jack x Mowalola
Never underestimate the power of the Opium hive. Ken Carson’s fans were out in full force to grab pieces from a brand new collaboration with Ed Hardy, crowds swarming the booth for hours. Embellished hoodies and T-shirts were covered in imagery like bats, gothic crosses, and flaming skulls drawn up in Ed Hardy’s signature style. Many of the lucky buyers immediately tossed them on upon purchasing their pieces. The white zip hoodie appeared to be a fan favorite, constantly showing up on the backs of people on the convention floor. Even though the Y2K trend may not be for everyone, it was impossible to ignore the overwhelmingly positive reaction this collaboration received. -Mike DeStefano
Best Collectible - Oakley Romeo & Juliet Set
Honorable Mentions: Bait x Ambush x Astro Boy Figure, Hajime Sorayama x Complex Hidden Forbidden Skate Deck, Hellstar Teddy Bear
Oakley’s booth commanded a steady crowd all weekend, thanks to its futuristic eyewear styles and a surprise restock of its recent Palace collab. One lucky customer walked away with the rare Romeo and Juliet set of sunglasses. Debuted in the ’90s, the sculpted titanium styles from the brand’s X Metal series are holy grails for Oakley collectors that have become even more revered through pop cultural ties to Michael Jordan and films like Spider-Man. This set, a special edition reissue from 2021 limited to 14 units, sold at ComplexCon for $15,000. –Mike DeStefano
Best Vintage - Ecko 'The Vault'
Honorable Mentions: Interscope Records Rap Tees, Two Fold, On The Arm
With the recent resurgence of brands such as Pelle Pelle, Ed Hardy, and Fox, it's obvious that the youth fashion syndicate have chosen "restoring nostalgia" as one of its superpowers. And that feeling was definitely replenished by Ecko Unlimited's booth featuring archival gear ranging from vintage outerwear to one-of-one jerseys. Fans new and old—Lil Yachty and Machine Gun Kelly among them—piled into the booth to catch a glimpse of some of the most sought-after '90s pieces the brand had stashed away from a rainy day. -Nick Grant
Best Hidden Gem - Amulet
Honorable Mentions: FORTYTWO, Sago Studio
Our favorite new discovery this year was at Booth A10. The San Diego-based label Amulet impressed us with its variety of workwear-inspired items like stonewashed hoodies featuring vertical pockets and sleeve panels inspired by carpenter pants, sunwashed chore coats made to look rusted, and boucle sweaters with contrast paneling. Three members of the Complex Style team walked out of the Las Vegas Convention Center wearing something from Amulet. Needless to say, we’re excited to see what the design duo is going to cook up next. -Mike DeStefano
Best Booth Design - Vandy the Pink Pokémon Center
Honorable Mentions: Jae Tips, Loiter x WWE, Hidden x Asics
Vandy the Pink always goes all out with its ComplexCon booth. We’re still thinking about the fast food drive-thru window it did back in 2022. This year in Las Vegas was no different. The brand made us feel like we were roaming through Canto by creating an IRL Pokémon Center. A giant blowup Snorlax and Pikachu made for one of the best photo ops on the floor. There was even a Pokéball toss setup that allowed visitors to win special prizes, and a six-foot tall Pikachu made a cameo to interact with shoppers. Of course, this would all mean nothing if the product wasn’t good. The Vandy x Pokémon capsule was one of the biggest hits of the weekend, especially the fleece zip-ups that looked like Espeon and Umbreon. We saw plenty of them roaming the floor. –Mike DeStefano
Best Activity - Pablo T-Shirt Factory x Levi’s Customization Booth
Honorable Mentions: New Era Ice-Dye Station, Travis Scott x Nike Jersey Customization
One of the most prominent style cues at ComplexCon 2024 was the art of upcycling. We spotted countless vendors and individuals who added their own personal flair to their items. Parisian garment manufacturer Pablo T-Shirt Factory wanted to give showgoers the opportunity to experience what that could feel like, with the help of Levi's. Together, they hosted a customization station for participants to create their own version of the Type-1 jacket or 501 jeans. They could choose a wash and conduct screenprinting, laser engraving, or chainstitch embroidery. It’s almost as if they collaborated directly with Levi's. -Nick Grant
Best Experiential - WWE Entrance Walk
Honorable Mention: Paulin Paulin Paulin Conversation Pit
If you grew up imagining you were Stone Cold Steve Austin walking to the ring after the glass shatters, you could have finally lived your dream at ComplexCon. To promote its Netflix debut in January 2025, WWE allowed fans to select from a series of official entrance themes and Jumbotron graphics to record their own personal walk-out video. Not only did wrestling fans get this cool interactive moment, there were also amazing vintage-inspired T-shirts at the Loiter x WWE booth, appearances from stars like Cody Rhodes and Liv Morgan. Even Triple H made a surprise cameo during Travis Scott’s headlining set on Sunday night. Pro wrestling is cool again. -Mike DeStefano
Best Appearance - Michèle Lamy
Honorable Mentions: Guram Gvasalia, Lil Yachty, Central Cee, Angel Reese, Rey Mysterio
Out of all the rappers, athletes, streamers, and other celebrities who graced ComplexCon with their presence, the one who got the fashion kids most excited was Michèle Lamy. The Rick Owens designer visited CactusCon to check out the Owens-designed merch shop and recording studio display. She even rocked Kozaburo’s upcycled staple hat to Family Style Food Festival.
Best Freebie - Awake NY x Chase Freedom Tote Bag
Honorable Mention: SSSTUFFF Tote Bag
Awake NY didn’t have a booth at this year’s ComplexCon, but it still made a big splash in Las Vegas. The brand teamed up with Chase Freedom to create gigantic tote bags with $100 bills printed on them, which were passed out to guests as a free gift. Everyone was using them to store their ComplexCon purchases as they traversed the convention. The bags were inescapable. –Mike DeStefano
Best Food - Lefty-J's
Honorable Mentions: Trill Burgers, Howlin' Ray's, Pinkbox Doughnuts
Whether you opted for the crunchy garlic chicken or teriyaki beef, you certainly walked away from Lefty J’s satisfied. Stands for Trill Burgers and Howlin’ Ray’s commanded the longest lines at Family Style Food Festival, but this restaurant specializing in traditional Filipino and Hawaiian cuisines was the sleeper hit. Once word spread, it became the unofficial go-to meal for Complex staff. The portion sizes were a great value and everything was packed with flavor. Lefty J's was so delicious that some employees even ate it two days in a row. When you are surrounded by so many incredible choices, that’s hard to do. –Mike DeStefano
Best Party - Travis Scott at Zouk
Honorable Mentions: Lil Yachty at Zouk, Nav at Zouk
For anyone who didn’t get enough Travis Scott after ComplexCon, the headliner performed at Zouk Nightclub on Sunday night (or Monday morning at 3AM, if you want to get technical). Older Travis fans appreciated the more calm atmosphere—no moshpits here. Longtime fans got to see some deep cuts like “A Team” and “Uber Everywhere (Remix)” live. It was the perfect cap on an incredible weekend. –Mike DeStefano
